Game Review: ANGRY BIRDS: RIO

The hit app gets a big movie tie-in and it takes the game play to a whole other level

Anyone who has an iPod, iTouch, iPad or an Android phone has been aware of the cool game ANGRY BIRDS. Using the motion sensors, you literally slingshot birds at nefarious pigs who have stolen their eggs.

It’s a simple game, but highly addictive – and at 99 cents through the iTunes store, it’s been a bargain since it continually adds new levels and bonus games periodically at no extra cost. Heck, even ANGRY BIRDS: SEASONS was gifted to long-time users by the company last year when the Halloween installment came out.

With ANGRY BIRDS becoming such a huge phenomenon it was only a matter of time before the studios took notice and partnered up with Rovio who produces the game. Now we get ANGRY BIRDS: RIO which is tied in to the new 20th Century Fox/Blue Sky animated theatrical release RIO.

Pigs are no longer the enemy, and it’s now the birds themselves who are imprisoned and it’s up to the Angry Birds to save them. With this new partnership, it’s also allowed Rovio to improve the graphics of the game as well as add some new bells and whistles.

Two specific adventures are included in the first bundle (each consisting of 30 levels apiece).

The first installment is “Smuggler’s Den” where the birds break out their fine, feathered friends from a warehouse, while the second chapter is “Jungle Escape” where you have to battle crazy monkey’s in order to find a way out.

There appears to be six chapters in all (probably all tied to events seen in the film RIO) and there’s even a timeline for the releases (May, July, October and November).

Remember, for .99 cents, this is an absolute STEAL!

There are new awards given (similar to the golden eggs featured in the original ANGRY BIRDS games) and as a first, the last level of Jungle Escape has you fighting baddie Nigel the Cockatoo. In this level, you have to actually hit him with the birds (or drop eggs on him) until you do enough damage to send him flying away. It’s a familiar nod to regular video games where you have a big boss figure that you have to take down by any means possible.

I’m not sure how long the novelty of ANGRY BIRDS will last, but with the addition of new levels and the low price, Rovio has found a way to create a viable and entertainment franchise that keeps fans glued to their phones for spurts of time – without feeling guilty about not getting actual work done.